Slim-sole sneakers continue to dominate fall 2026, with designs ranging from jazz-inspired flats to scrunched, second-skin styles. The trend builds on earlier momentum sparked by the Adidas Samba and Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66, with soles now slimmer than ever.
Jazz shoes emerged as one of this year's biggest breakout trends, appearing on fall 2026 runways at Celine, Jacquemus, and Tod's. Classic lace-ups feature rubbery soles and foam cushioning. Adidas offers a sportier split-sole option with its Taekwondo Mei Elite, while Keds released the Champion Low in smooth leather.
Animal print sneakers in streamlined silhouettes appeared across collections. Designers favored understated prints like snakeskin, leopard, deer, or tiger over flashy versions.
Miu Miu, largely credited with popularizing the slim-soled double-lace sneaker in 2014, continues the style with color-blocked designs on its spring/summer 2027 runway through a collaboration with New Balance. Other brands including Vans and Puma released their own double and layered lace interpretations.
Metallic finishes brought balletic touches to fall collections. Cecilie Bahnsen's silver-trimmed pairs paired with leg warmers, while Shiatzy Chen's bright red style coordinated with leather trousers and fur-trimmed coats.
Black sneakers appeared across autumn runways at Jil Sander, Patou, and Tod's as elevated alternatives to white pairs. The noir lace-ups styled with baggy jeans and polished knitwear.
Loewe debuted a swim-shoe hybrid on its fall/winter 2026 runway, while Lacoste created a barely-there caged sneaker for spring/summer 2027 inspired by tennis nets. These slimmer treatments marked a shift within gorpcore away from chunky trail sneakers.
Yellow sneakers for fall came from Fendi, Loewe, Cecilie Bahnsen, and Onitsuka, providing color against muted seasonal tones.
Elasticized, scrunched sneakers followed nostalgic trends in scrunched heels and flats. Prada jump-started the style with its Collapse sneaker for spring/summer 2025, which returned across both its 2026 runways. Nike's Moon Shoe collaboration with Jacquemus, spotted on Rihanna earlier this year, continues as a hit. Miu Miu's Plume sneakers and Puma's ruched-toe H-Street Etoile offered daintier versions.